Fuel Updates

Fuel is at $3.75 for the week, which is up from $3.74 the previous week.

The domestic truck market is showing mixed signals as it heads into December 2025. Spot rates for vans and reefers are posting modest increases, driven in part by holiday demand; however, overall freight volumes remain low, resulting in excess truck capacity and a challenging environment for carriers. Some data points show low load-to-truck ratios but strong year-over-year growth in demand for available trucks, suggesting that market recovery remains slow despite the recent uptick in activity.

Reefer Freight:

• Spot rates sit at $2.44, showing a slight increase driven by the holiday season and seasonal produce shifts.
• Load volumes are generally softening seasonally as produce season winds down in some regions, but holiday demand, especially for food and beverage, is beginning to pick up.
• Demand for reefer trucks is expected to remain strong heading into the holiday season.
• The reefer load-to-truck ratio has risen to 9.5 loads per truck in early November, up from 7.9, indicating stronger demand relative to available capacity.
• Capacity remains tight in select markets, but overall trends point to healthy holiday-driven freight activity, supported by inbound Florida/Georgia produce and winter goods in the Northeast, while national rates have seen slight increases.
• Strong demand in Southern Texas (McAllen, Laredo) and around Los Angeles/Nogales has contributed to higher rates and tighter capacity in those regions.

Van Freight:

• Spot rates are averaging around $1.69/mile nationally (Week 45), slightly up year-over-year but below longer-term averages, with top lanes reaching about $1.98/mile.
• This week’s dry van market remains challenging due to weak demand, though there are early signs of stabilization or slight improvement following the typical post-Thanksgiving slowdown.
• The Midwest is showing regional strength, while overall volumes remain below peak levels, indicating continued headwinds but less panic booking compared to typical holiday surges.
• Falling truck posts suggest tightening capacity, contributing to a more favorable load-to-truck ratio (LTR) than in recent months.
• The dry van market remains generally soft and under pressure, but recent trends, including tightening capacity and stronger regional activity, suggest the worst may be behind us, with gradual improvement possible as the year comes to a close.
• Load-to-truck ratio: As of late November/early December 2025, the dry van LTR has experienced significant weekly drops (around 20%), yet remains much higher year-over-year—up approximately 44% from November 2024.

Flatbed Freight:

• Spot rates are averaging in the low to mid–$2 range per mile nationally, with regional averages around $2.59/mile in the Midwest, $2.61/mile in the Southeast, and $2.49/mile in the Southwest.
• This week’s flatbed market shows mixed signals: national spot rates are stabilizing or slightly increasing following recent dips, supported by seasonal construction demand, though overall volumes remain soft.
• Despite high load-to-truck ratios in some areas (indicating fewer loads relative to available trucks) capacity remains generally tight due to fewer equipment posts, giving carriers improved leverage.
• Load-to-truck ratio: The LTR dropped significantly (-32.2%) week-over-week (Nov 24–30) but remains up 70.7% year-over-year, reflecting strong seasonal volatility around the holiday period.

We hope you have a fantastic week! If you need any assistance or have any questions, please reach out to your RIM Representative or to our Domestic Team at RIMDomestic@rimlogistics.com.